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Yep, as much as some people want to argue the integrity, meaning, worth, etc. of the Avengers, when all is said and done, this is still a series that’s put out there principally to make money off of it as much as possible, as that’s how the business goes, which can include adding more characters to the roster over time which may help boost the sales of said characters in their own solo books.

Yep, as much as some people want to argue the integrity, meaning, worth, etc. of the Avengers, when all is said and done, this is still a series that’s put out there principally to make money off of it as much as possible, as that’s how the business goes, which can include adding more characters to the roster over time which may help boost the sales of said characters in their own solo books.

Or to prove that characters are popular enough to carry their own book. I still remember how big a deal it was when Hawkeye got his first solo mini-series in the 80s (the one that introduced him to Mockingbird).

Anyone can be an Avenger in one sense.
it is a team of hers banded together to stop threats.
You oddest need a special gene or to go through some mist. It is not made up of a family.

Many times avenger lineups form from events and then stick together sometimes they are assembled. There are no rules really. Especially since the age of specialized avenger teams (although none of them seem to last)

My main point is that since pretty much the whole Marvel U has been an Avenger it waters it down for me. With The Justice League I can think of many Dc heroes who have never been a member. I cant do that with Marvel. I remember when The Great Lakes Avengers were formed and Hawkeye went to see what was up with them and tell them not just anyone could use The Avengers name because it was special. It had meaning. Somewhere along the years that got lost.

My main point is that since pretty much the whole Marvel U has been an Avenger it waters it down for me. With The Justice League I can think of many Dc heroes who have never been a member. I cant do that with Marvel. I remember when The Great Lakes Avengers were formed and Hawkeye went to see what was up with them and tell them not just anyone could use The Avengers name because it was special. It had meaning. Somewhere along the years that got lost.

If Congorilla can be on the Justice League, I think the Avengers are fine by comparison.

As some others have stated, Cap's Kooky Quartet kind of out and out undermines the idea that the Avengers should be this exclusive brotherhood that only the "elite" get to join. Even the argument to keep the Avengers and X-Men segregated kind of falls apart when you remember Beast was card carrying member in the 70s.

I think the core framing of the question is simply wrong. The Avengers are not and have never been special. Other teams are specifically special, i.e. you are a member of this family, or you are a member of a racial minority. Indeed, it could be argued that what distinguishes the Avengers is that it is no more special than joining the Marines. The Avengers is just three warriors, Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor, building an army out of whatever they can.

Bendis watered it down by putting Wolverine and Spiderman on the team, effectively making them a team of characters who already had solo comics, then they were diluted even further by Hickman's more cynical, cold view of the team dynamics sucked out whatever uniqueness the team had as a "family".

Indeed, Marvel's team comics are these days dominated by characters who already have solos. You are either everywhere or nowhere at Marvel.

Bendis watered it down by putting Wolverine and Spiderman on the team, effectively making them a team of characters who already had solo comics, then they were diluted even further by Hickman's more cynical, cold view of the team dynamics sucked out whatever uniqueness the team had as a "family".

Indeed, Marvel's team comics are these days dominated by characters who already have solos. You are either everywhere or nowhere at Marvel.

I don't think having them on the same team makes it inherently watered down, only if the writing does, but for me, it didn't get watered down for me because the writing held up that much for me. If some people are that strongly against having Spider-Man and Wolverine on the Avengers, regardless of how good the writing is, then I suppose the best they can do is not buy anymore books that feature them together, which is fair enough I suppose.

That's an interesting discussion.
A few thoughts from me. The Avengers needn't be the strongest, but the ones who work best together. They are part of a legacy.
I have no objection to having a proeminent X-Man as part of the main Avengers team, especially if it means a more peaceful era for mutants and a recognition of the X-Men as heroes by the whole superhero community, I think a character like Storm would do great!